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You could be paying more for soft drinks from today as the sugar tax comes into force in a bid to encourage shoppers to switch to healthier products.

Fifty per cent of all drinks had sugar content reduced ahead of the new levy. First to rise to the issue are leading brands such as Lucozade, Fanta and Ribena who have taken steps to cut the sugar content of their drinks, with Coca Cola and Pepsi opting to make no change to their recipe.

The introduction of the levy means the UK joins a small handful of nations, including Mexico, France and Norway, which have introduced similar taxes. The levy is being applied to manufacturers but whether they pass it on to consumers or not is their choice.

The levy

Drinks containing 5-8g of sugar per 100ml will face a slightly lower rate of tax, of 18p per litre.

Drinks with more than 8g per 100ml will face a tax rate equivalent to 24p per litre.

Pure fruit juices will be exempt as they do not carry added sugar, while drinks with a high milk content will also be exempt due to their calcium content.

Originally, the Treasury forecast it would raise more than £500m a year, but that has now been reduced to £240m because some manufacturers have reduced the sugar content in their products. In England that income is being invested in schools sports and breakfast clubs.

Analysts Mintel have found that the the sugar tax is likely to have an effect on 47 per cent of consumers, with that figure rising to 53 per cent of 16 to 34-year-olds. (Image: Brian Lawless/PA Wire)

George Osborne has predicted the Government's sugar tax will be extended to include milk drinks. The former chancellor unveiled the tax policy when in office but faced pressure to close apparent loopholes in the policy, including by extending it to milkshakes with large quantities of sugar.

Speaking on BBC Two's Newsnight, Mr Osborne said: "I suspect the sugar tax will start to be extended to things like milk products, which I was nervous of going into in the first instance because I wanted to establish the case for a sugar tax.

"But if I remained as chancellor I would have moved into things like sugary milkshakes."

Source: National Diet and Nutrition survey 2008-2014 (Image: BBC)

However a survey has found that such a tax would encourage just under half of Britons to cut back on the products. Analysts Mintel found it is likely to have an effect on 47 per cent of consumers, with that figure rising to 53 per cent of 16 to 34-year-olds.

Regionally, 53 per cent of Londoners are the most likely to be deterred by a tax, dropping to fewer than four in 10 (38 per cent) of consumers living in Scotland.

However, 75 per cent of consumers say that clear nutritional information on product packaging would encourage them to cut down on unhealthy food and drink, rising to 81 per cent of 25 to 34-year-olds.

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Almost the same number - 73 per cent - claim rewards for making healthy choices such as supermarket points would encourage them to eat more healthily.

More than half of Britons (56 per cent) say they would cut down on unhealthy products if there were tighter restrictions on advertising junk food.

Just 11 per cent say they strive to eat healthily all the time, although the proportion of those who try to eat well most of the time has risen four percentage points to 52 per cent over the last two years.

The amount of sugar currently used by manufacturers in their recipes

Pepsi and Coca Cola have not changed their recipes.

Some manufacturers have cut the sugar in their products whilst others have made no change (Image: AFP)

Mintel associate director of food and drink Emma Clifford said: "Although Britons have ingrained healthy eating intentions and have upped their efforts to cut down on their sugar intake, the majority of British adults are overweight or obese and Britain is ranked the sixth fattest nation in the world."

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The research found low sugar content is the single most important factor consumers look for when seeking out healthy food, named as the top consideration by 52 per cent of shoppers, ahead of five-a-day claims (48 per cent) and low fat content (45 per cent).

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Ms Clifford said: "A war is being waged against sugar by the Government and the media. This sustained attack over a number of years has had a big impact on how consumers view this now-demonised ingredient, what they think constitutes healthy food.

"It's encouraging that Britons are making more of an effort to eat more healthily, though they continue to enjoy permissible indulgences.

"However, there is potential for this overarching healthy eating trend to be undermined by consumers' incomes being squeezed, together with the perception that healthy food is expensive.

"Nevertheless, there are still opportunities for retailers to provide more shopper support in making healthier and price savvy choices, while simultaneously promoting customer loyalty."